Sunday VT – 1/26/2014

Click here to listen to the service or Download as MP3 (right click & save as): [audio:http://www.thefishermenministry.net/audio/podcast/02-vt-sun/northfield-falls/2014-01-26-sbs-nf-vt.mp3]

Speakers:

Steven Atherton
Megan Atherton

Scriptures used:

Matthew 13:44
Proverbs 2
Matthew 5:44

Subject:

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, my Lords name is to be praised.
The treasure hid in the field is us … for God so loved the world .. it’s us, the world. God gave all that He had, His son, for us. We’re the merchant man looking for goodly pearls, things that are valuable.
How much worth is Jesus Christ to you?
Christ is the goodly pearl and there is no treasure that compares to Him. No thing, person, job, car, not a thing is worth what He is worth.
Are we looking for what’s valuable? Because if we are, we won’t find it here, we will find it in His Word. That is where valuable things are found.
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
We know that wisdom as mentioned in the Bible is Jesus. If you seek Him and search for Him, then and only then will you understand the fear of the Lord.
Fear of the Lord is a good thing and is the only good fear, the only fear worth having. He is the only one who can welcome you in as a good and faithful servant or say get away from me, ye that work iniquity I never knew you.
It is free and available for every one of us, but it does cost us something … our life.
If you give up your life for Him, then you get to partake of His life and it far exceeds anything.
Your hope has to be in the Lord and only in the Lord.
Steve tells a story of how he lost hope and wondered if he had made a mistake choosing to serve the Lord and how he opened the Word and the Lord revealed that He was with him when he felt he made a mistake and He was with him when he had great joy in the Lord.
Never say never … especially with the Lord. He loves us and works with us where we are.
If you really love the Lord you have to invite Him into your life, He’s not going to do something against your will.
To invite Him in means you have to acknowledge you have a problem.
God will require you to take some steps if you invite Him into your life.
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, (when Jesus enters your heart after you invite Him in as your Lord and Savior) and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul (when what He said and His Word is pleasant to you and you desire it over other things); Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: (He knows how to keep you. It doesn’t mean you won’t feel pressed upon, but He gives you understanding of what’s going on in a situation and He gives you hope.).
God is concerned with them touching your soul, not your physical body.
Leave the paths of uprightness. The froward person is someone who always knows a better way. Someone who does their own thing thinking they are right and know better than their authority. (frowardness defined as devious, perverse, to become perverse) and frowardness is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 3:32).
People come to know the truth, something happens that they don’t like and they decide to separate themselves. They then justify themselves in their separation and as they do that they get others who, likewise, don’t want to know the truth and they go to a place where they are exalted which makes them feel more justified and it gets to a place where they don’t even recognize the truth anymore.
Matthew 5:1-12 – Beattitudes are the attitudes we are supposed to be versus the don’t be attitudes. Which one are you?
When you find out you are more a don’t be attitude than a beattitude, what are you going to do? Do you turn and run or do you get on your knees before the Lord and repent?
We are to be perfect. The final beattitude is that we are to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). You can only do this when you recognize what Christ has saved you from.
How are you going to find the pearl of great price unless you are willing to show it to people? Show them a better way. Show them and tell them about Jesus and His ability to take all of that away.
We are to become the embodiment of the love of Jesus Christ to people and the best way to do that is to speak truth to them, acknowledging our own failing.
Steve tells the story of a man who almost dies of an overdose but he calls upon Jesus and is saved.
If you want to get free, get down on your knees before the Lord and ask Him to help you and He will and there is nothing that can stop you.
If what other people do to you, say about you, think of you does not matter to you, then there is NOTHING that can hold you back from glorifying the Lord.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.